STAY ALIVE MY SON (VR): A True Story About A Father's Relentless Search For His Son

Having never experienced VR before I can honestly say that this has been one of the most profound experiences I have done! The past brought to life in a harrowing tale where one man's decision during the Cambodian genocide will scar him for life plunging him - and you - in a nigthmarish world where the only way out is to come to terms with the reality that surrounds you. In the end redemption but also a profound understanding of the human capacity for resilience and love. This VR experience is truly a masterpiece, weaving together history, emotion, and game play in a way that captivates and educates.

The movie/game itself is astonishing on many different levels - I’m still processing all the emotions it made me feel. It’s deep and personal. The story telling of these real memories mixed inside real time graphics walking in these worlds is kinda mind blowing .

«Όντας πατέρας και επίσης στο Πολεμικό Ναυτικό, έχω δει αυτές τις ιστορίες χωρισμού της οικογένειας, ακόμη και σήμερα με οικογένειες προσφύγων. Είναι σημαντικό να κατανοήσουμε τους αγώνες τους γιατί είναι πολύ δύσκολο και η οικογένεια είναι σημαντική. Μέσα από αυτή την ιστορία και τα μάτια των πατέρων καταλαβαίνετε περισσότερο τη βασανιστική πραγματικότητα του χωρισμού της οικογένειας. [Translated to English: “Being father and in the Navy, I have seen these stories of families separated for an opportunity to live. You see it today with many refugee families. It’s important that people see their struggles and understand the lack of choice. Through this experience, you understand the effects and reality of separation. I'm also a father so to see this story through a fathers’ eyes was more personal."]

I first experienced an early version of Stay Alive My Son at the Venice Biennale, where I became convinced that this was the future of storytelling. The official release on Steam is a much more refined and an extended version of the award winning experience that totally immerses you into the tragic story of Yathay Pin, a father who lost his family during the Cambodian genocide. I am an avid gammer but his is my first time writing a review on Steam, because I truly believe that this is a landmark creation. I found Stay Alive My Son to be excellent. You are immersed into a dystopian world filled with hate, misery and cruelty. Despite this, there is hope, no matter how desperate and hopeless things and life may sometimes feel. The story is a testament to the human spirit to fight and overcome the evil of this world. This belief that there are better days ahead is a powerful point this story makes that resonates deeply with me. The graphics were phenomenal and I would recommend people try the experience standing up. There is a scene in the beginning where you look directly into the protagonist's face as a digital human, and it really feels real! He’s looking right at you, through you. For myself, this is the moment when I came to believe that the greatest, most creative story tellers will move to this medium. You just get so much more out of it. The technical and production team should be commended, along with the creators for being bold to pick a path less taken in choosing this medium to tell a story with meaning and purpose. I warn other viewers that this is a heavy story, albeit the hope and optimism that it leaves the viewer. I teared despite not being someone who does this in films, and I think this is because it felt very real. Other points to note are that the acting was excellent, the flow of the storyline and the messaging is very slick. Especially in these days where war is surging and raging across our planet again, I believe that this immersive film is perhaps the strongest reminder - for those of us that have the fortune to live in peace - that we must fight and resist evil/genocide and do what is necessary to preserve and protect human life and peace. Supporting a project like Stay Alive My Son, in my view, is supporting a project in medium that sends this message discretely yet undiluted for those that want something more than a conventional game or film. Schools that study genocide should install SAMS to truly help the next generations learn and understand more deeply. Then, just maybe, our future will be brighter and peaceful.

Absolutely loved it! Honestly, I’ve never tried VR before and not much of a gamer. But I kept seeing articles about it….how it blends gaming and cinema…how VR can make our brains feel another person’s emotions….that it was about a true story. Curiosity got the best of me so I gave to try it. And, I was hooked. From the moment I could walk around this man’s house and grab things until till the very end, I felt like i was literally in this man’s life. I never knew VR to be and feel so real! I had no idea about Cambodian history or read Yathay Pin’s book, but through the movie I learned so much, was able to live this man’s story and feel everything he must have felt. His fear, his anxiety, and finally his redemption. After walking out of this dark prison, I felt life and hope coming back into my soul. Sounds silly, but when I saw this beautiful golden temple, a sense of peace and calmness came over me. I even flew on a paper airplane! Each moment is truly special, leaving me with these lingering feeling when it ended. Maybe I’m writing too much but i really think more movies should be made and experienced like this.

Simply put, a masterpiece. Amazing work by talented artists. Its a must.

Truly breathtaking experience, amazing music and sound design. Incredibly moving story, phenomenal atmosphere and art direction, I'll be thinking about this for a long time.

Great game! It is a story driven cinematic first person VR game. Also very educational with its history and recollection of the events in Cambodia. If you like games with a great story highly recommend this one!

To be honest, i wasn't ready for what i was about to see. This game/film delivers an unparalleled virtual reality experience that captivates from start to finish. The game's plot and environments design offers unique experience while keeping you alert all the time. The immersive sound design further enhance the feeling of truly being inside it. Totally recommend it, is a must-play for anyone looking for something that combines cinema with video game and delivers you true events of Cambodian genocide.

This game is a very touching experience. The subject is difficult, but it was executed with a lot of consideration and empathy for the people suffering under the Cambodian dictatorship. It is more than a movie, since you can interact with the very detailed and beautifully rendered environment. The environment art is the staple and the narrative conduit of this game.